Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-05-06


worked steadily away through the long,
scented summer gst
The glow of dawn was just creeping
over the pearly sky and the sleepy
young birds were beginning to clipper,
when the last tin-can was sealed and
marshaled with the long ranks of its
comrades on the white-pine floor.
HAS it paid ?" yawned Kate. brush
ing away clinging. velvet col OF
peach pairing from her checked apron
with stifi fingers.
Sue, Mary and jeremiah, remained
circumspectly non-committal.
"Of course it has ~ replied Miss Mat
tison, every short black curl defiantly
triumphant, as she regarded the rows
of peach-cans much as if they formed
an important link in the chain OF
woman's progress
1t was perfect day for nutting ex-
cursion. The purple mist slept on
the distant swells of prairie as softly
AS bridal veil; the naples, sumachs
and oaks, were fairly irridescent, and
the ivory hickory-nuts were tumbling
from the husks with every breeze that
blew, much to the delight of the news
boys and bootblacks Of Kent Brainards
mission school.
Kent Brainard was the principal
owner of the great foundry that pulled
its clouds of SCOT and sparks upward at
all hours of the day and night.
He also owned cattle-ranch in West
ern Kansas, and was the protector of a
new railroad; so. even if he had been
other than the handsome bachelor he
was, the girls of Branardville would
have deemel him a golden prize in the
matrimonial pool
But he had fought his way up from
the ranks, and now seemed 10 see in
every ragged boy counterpart of his
old self, a. he ran errands, sold news
papers. and did everything possible to
his frsl, pretty little mother in her
struggle for bare bread and leaking
roof.
SO he founded a lodging house for
! poor boys, es established a miss on school,
and devoted every moment that he
could spare from business to the eleva
ton OF the little ragamuiiins. who ador
ed him with all their warm hearts.
$50 odd of him. SAID Rosa Boilin,
pretty girl with "Dlonde' hair, long
eye.lashes. which she made the most of,
and pretty guesture and tricks of ex-
/ preston. which she practiced daily be-
! fore mirror.
But, nevertheless, she developed an
unsupported vein of piety, and took
class in the III ion school. whore she
beamed upon the tn rteen boys that fell
/ TO her share Is sweetly and sunnily as
was possible for any one to do whose
heart was seething all the time with de-
testation for themselves and their
pranks.
The children had finished gorging
! themselves upon substantial lunch.
and keut Brainard and all the teachers
/ of the mission school were seated at an
especial table as Miss Boiiin's invited
guests.
II was decked with the dantiest nap.
perry. bright silver and colored glass.
ware. and loaded with the most tempt
ing of lunches, yet Kent Brsinard's
glance kept rowing toward his adven-
turous youngsters.
Wont you have another peach. Mr..
Brainard?" said Rosa, sweetly.
That foolhardy little Tom Matthews
will certainly fall. said Kent. abs emily.
as he watched little carrot-he AIDED
fellow climbing ike monkey to the
very topmost bough of hickory tree.
IL wish he would fall! wish every
ragamuflin in the world would break
his good-for-nothing little neck, and
then perhaps Kent Brainard would
have eyes and ears for other people!'
Rosa breathed into the little pink ear
OF Mamie St John. another pretty
mission teacher.
Rosa's pity was evidently only thin
veneering.
''Oh, suppose he's training up Tom
Matthew'S cross-eyed little sister, Bid
dy. for his wife. He appears to be just
infatuated with the slums!" whispered
Mamie, in return. making a little GRIM
mace of pretty disdan.
"Another peach, did you say, Miss
Rosa? inquired Kent after he had
watched little Tom deeend in safety.
"Yes thank you, / wAL have one.
Those great, yellow, rose-tinted globes
are precisely my idea of ambrosia!'
But a fat young man who was de-
voted to Mamie ST. John. and likewise
to the good things of this world, had
helped himself to the last peach in the
cut-glass dish. and as Rosa tilted the
tin can. to renew the supply. some
= ,l,;n,, fo1 with tha 40 chac Of n N ~